This disclosure generally relates to cable assemblies and components thereof, for example fiber optic cable assemblies. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to strain relief boots for use as part of fiber optic cable assemblies to control the bend radius of the cable, for example in the area adjacent to a connector.
Optical fibers are useful in a wide variety of applications, including the telecommunications industry for voice, video, and data transmissions. In a telecommunications system that uses optical fibers, there are typically many locations where fiber optic cables that carry the optical fibers connect to equipment or other fiber optic cables. To conveniently provide these connections, fiber optic connectors are often provided on the ends of fiber optic cables. The process of terminating individual optical fibers from a fiber optic cable is referred to as “connectorization.” Connectorization may be done in a factory, resulting in a “pre-connectorized” or “pre-terminated” fiber optic cable, or the field (e.g., using a “field-installable” fiber optic connector).
Regardless of where installation occurs, a fiber optic connector typically includes a housing and a connector body of a relatively rigid material so that the fiber optic connector can withstand a variety of forces during handling and use without affecting the optical connection that may be or has been established. Having rigid components, however, presents design challenges elsewhere. For example, fiber optic cables upon which fiber optic connectors are installed are typically much less rigid than the connector bodies of the fiber optic connectors. The rapid transition in stiffness may result in stress concentrations where the cable meets the connector body. Radial loads applied to the cable may then result in the cable bending (e.g., where the stresses are concentrated) beyond a minimum bend radius that should not be exceeded in order for the cable to function properly.
To address the above-mentioned challenge, a fiber optic connector typically includes a flexible, strain-relief boot that attaches onto a rigid portion of the fiber optic connector (e.g., the housing or connector body) and extends rearwardly over a portion of the cable. The strain relief boot provides a transition in stiffness between the fiber optic connector and the cable.
The strain relief boot is provided to minimize possible strain on the cable that may result if the cable is bent to too sharp of an angle at or near the connector. With respect to fiber optic cables, strain relief boots help maintain a sufficiently large bend radius in the area adjacent to the connector in order to minimize attenuation of light traveling along the optical fiber(s). In addition to reducing signal attenuation, strain relief boots inhibit damage to the data or energy transmission elements within the cable that could be damaged by repeated bending of the cable where the cable enters the connector.
There is a need for a new strain relief boot that provides desired bend control capabilities across a range of cable diameters. There is also a need for a new strain relief boot that includes fewer components to reduce installation decisions and operations, thus simplifying the installation process.